


you could 'cause you can, so you do

by firedolt (biteme_m8)



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Canon Compliant, F/M, No Manga Spoilers, University, but not an au, just talking about the future yknow
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-15
Updated: 2020-07-15
Packaged: 2021-03-03 22:15:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 10,172
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24722896
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/biteme_m8/pseuds/firedolt
Summary: Uncle Keishin is looking to each side of the net, but his eye’s hold pride only slightly obscured by a wicked smile that you are also beginning to show. The same one your mother says you share with him, the one that you only do when you’re about to do something stupid.A story about how that smile keeps shit interesting.
Relationships: Sugawara Koushi/Reader
Comments: 10
Kudos: 37





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> i've never written a chapter story before, but this narrative keeps growing in my head so i figured i'd give it a shot! there isn't a schedule for posting and i'm not sure how long this'll get, but i'm on vacation and therefore have plenty of time to figure it out lmao
> 
> title from 'Nine in the Afternoon' by Panic! at the Disco (which i binge-listened to while brainstorming/writing this)

No matter how many times you fly into Tokyo, you’re positive that you’ll never get used to waking from a nap you did  _ not _ mean to take only to realize you’ve lost a full 26 hours to a 13-hour flight and other time fuckery courtesy of the international date line. As you pull your carry-on suitcase from the overhead compartment, you recognize that you wouldn’t have done much with the 26 hours anyway, but the concept still affronts you. Even your phone is having trouble adapting to the shift, taking its sweet time after you turned off airplane mode to connect to an international provider and update its time and date. 

But once it does, you audibly groan at realizing that it’s four in the afternoon and you are _fully_ rested. Yeah, you won’t be sleeping tonight. But that’s okay - your uncle rarely cares if you’re up late as long as you give him peace. You’re hoping this still rings true even with his recent schedule changes; he mentioned a few months ago that he now wakes up _before_ the ass crack of dawn to tend to the field (and that’s _following_ his night shifts) so that he has the time to coach his old high school’s volleyball team. You still aren’t exactly sure how or why Keishin agreed to that gig, but from how he talks about that team (and he talks about them a lot more than he thinks he does), you’re honestly excited to see them play. In an apprehensive sort of way. 

**Uncle Keishin**

If you come out here to find my car w/o me in it, it’s because a cab driver got sick of me crowding the lane and offed me (16:08)

Seriously bud please hurry i am in danger (16:14)

**Me**

im working on it!! do you know how big this place is (16:15)

also i wanted coffee so :p (16:16)

**Uncle Keishin**

On you if you have to drive yourself home, hope you can manage left-hand traffic (16:17)

**Me**

chill ill get you some too (16:17)

**Uncle Keishin**

God bless (16:18)

After stopping by a random coffee shop just after leaving customs and border patrol, you step out into the warm June air and clutch your caramel iced coffee a little tighter in your hand. It’s hotter than you anticipated, and the concrete and asphalt tunnel that forms the terminal entrance is doing the temperature no favors. By the time you locate Keishin’s dingy yellow van, four gates down from where you exited, you’ve already broken a sweat. 

“Drama queen,” you say to your uncle as he’s stepping out of the car. It’s been a year since you last saw him, since you’ve been coming here and staying with your mother’s side of the family every summer since you were little. This summer is no different in that regard. Though, you notice after Keishin hugs you and starts putting your bags in the back of the car, he seems to be in high spirits. You’re not sure if this is because of your arrival or his thoughts are occupied elsewhere, but it’s nice to see him smile. You’ve missed his signature smirk in your life; Mom says that you have the same one when you’re about to do something stupid. 

With the car packed and Keishin in possession of his coffee (black and hot, which- how he does that year-round is beyond you), he pulls out of the terminal and begins the three hour drive to Miyagi. 

❋❋❋

You are a volleyball player; honestly, you’re pretty sure it runs in your blood judging by your family’s history with the game. That being said, it makes you jealous that Japanese students get to play year-round where you only get the fall season each year. The last time you played in an official match was November for god’s sake; you are  _ itching _ to play, even if it’s just for a set. You express this to your uncle a week into your stay during dinner. 

“Keishin, you have to let me come to one of your practices.” He looks up from his meal with his eyebrows raised. His head tilts a bit to the left as he appraises your intentions, and after assumably finding no answers, asks, “And why’s that?”

“I can only play with Grandfather’s rugrats for so long before wanting to rip my hair out. Please, just let me play one game.” He chuckles at you for a moment before you add, “Hey, you said you only have one libero. I can totally sub in so that you have one on each side.” 

At that he pauses, considering. In the three seasons you’ve played in high school so far, you’ve actually played two positions, libero and wing spiker. You were your team’s libero your freshman and sophomore years, and you loved every second of it. And you were  _ good _ at it; good enough that you won the best libero award for your home state despite your admittedly shitty team. America isn’t like Japan, where you can choose a high school based on what’s most important to you; you get where you live, end of story. As an  _ unrelated _ side note, fuck the American public school system. 

But junior year - or specifically, the summer before your junior season - your team’s ace broke their ankle and wouldn’t be returning to play. The night your coach broke the news to you all, for the first time in your volleyball career, you picked up a ball and started practicing your serve. Despite your team having several wing spikers, none were going to suddenly start caring about the team now that they had the chance to step up. It was a harsh truth, and never outright stated, but that didn’t make it any less true. Just as well as you knew that with enough training, training that those wing spikers didn’t have the motivation to do themselves,  _ you  _ could be the ace your team needed. And it needed it, like, yesterday, if they had any chance of making it past the first round of regionals. 

Your coach was hesitant to lose you as a libero, but given that there was an upcoming freshman libero with a solid reputation coming to the team and the fact that no one had a better solution, she agreed. So you put the team above yourself and trained yourself into the dirt of your backyard and the floorboards of your school’s shitty court until you couldn’t feel the ball in your hand or the ground under your feet. And when that happened, you finished with a few libero-specific drills. You can always use some more defensive training, or at least that’s what you’d tell yourself.

On the plus side, all that training  _ did _ pay off. Turns out you have a knack for putting the ball where you want it to go (your grandfather was thoroughly unsurprised), and what resulted was a powerful offensive when you’re in the front row, and what is essentially  _ two liberos _ when you’re in the back. You don’t get subbed out in official matches, your team can’t afford that. But you’re actually thankful for that, because the back row still feels like home somehow. 

So even though you had to let go of being a libero for your team, that doesn’t mean that you forgot how to be one. You made sure you didn’t, because you’d give anything to be one again. 

Keishin, who knows how hard you worked to change entire positions and how long it’s been since you’ve played with players who give a damn about the game, recognizes that this could be beneficial for you and for the team - provided that Tanaka and Nishinoya remember how to function in the presence of a female person. He figures that it’s worth the risk. 

“Friday. Practice starts at 3:15.”

Two days from now. You smile wide and nod. 

❋❋❋

You tried not to have expectations upon meeting the Karasuno team, but what little you did imagine doesn’t hold a candle to reality. 

First off, there are one too many good-looking people in this gym for it to be a coincidence, from the eldest manager to that beanpole of a blonde first-year. You are equal parts pleased and unsettled. Not to mention that, like, half of them just bleach or dye their hair and it looks good on all of them? Particularly the silver-haired boy who’s talking to who you know to be the captain (Daichi, your uncle told you). You could dye your hair ten times and never get it  _ that _ perfect. What the hell. 

Secondly, it is clear that despite being on a sports team, none of these guys would even approach the title of ‘jock’. Again, a pleasant surprise, but still confusing nonetheless. Then again, you don’t know much about Japanese school hierarchies, so maybe that persona doesn’t exist here. All this goes to say that those who can talk calmly to you (the third-years and aforementioned beanpole) greet you with timid kindness, and those who are struggling (most notably the second-years) are simply unable to get a word out despite their valiant efforts. It’s honestly kind of cute; they’re not even being creepy about it. God, you wish American boys were like this. 

Keishin calls the team over once everyone has arrived, and from your spot next to him in front of the crowd, he begins to explain how practice will go for today. 

“Okay, so I’m sure you’ve noticed by now that we have a guest with us today. I’ll let her introduce herself and her stats.” He motions for you to take the proverbial stage, which you do with an amused huff. 

“Hi guys! My name is Y/N L/N, and I’m actually Coach Ukai’s niece,” you begin. At this new information, there are several nods of understanding. “I’m a rising senior where I live in the States, and I play volleyball on my high school team, currently as a wing spiker but formerly as our libero.” You can’t help but smile proudly at that, and it is hilarious to see Karasuno’s libero light up at this statement. He might actually work up the nerve to speak to you at this rate. “So, for today, I’ll be playing libero for whichever team doesn’t have one.” The team then bows as one and thanks you for coming. You’re sure your eyebrows are touching your hairline, but you nonetheless smile and nod to them. 

Suddenly there is a shock of electric orange hair in front of you, exclaiming, “Wow! The libero and wing spiker positions are so different! How can you just go back to  _ not _ spiking the ball after you know how awesome it feels?!” As soon as he came, he was yanked back by the collar of his shirt by the angry dude who you’re pretty sure is the genius setter your uncle has mentioned. Going off of that, you can assume that the ginger is the other half of the super duo. You can only hear pieces of what he’s whispering to the kid, but there’s a lot of  _ Hinata _ and  _ boke _ in quick succession. You are beginning to understand the source of Keishin’s migraines now. 

The entire interaction has you choking back a laugh, pinching your lips around a forming smile and looking away from them. It’s then that you notice the irritation on the libero’s face, and the rest of the team looking on in a range from exasperation to embarrassment. It’s cute how they act like this isn’t a common dynamic for  _ all _ sports teams, even your own back home. 

You’re not sure if the traffic cone’s question needs a response, but before you make up your mind your uncle starts assigning teams for the first practice match. You turn your attention to him so that you can catch everyone’s names. 

“I know we’d be one person short for two full teams, so I also invited another guest to make the numbers even. She should be getting here shortly,” says your uncle, and  _ oh my god did he invite who you think he did? _ He sends a conspiratory smirk your way.  _ Oh my god, he did. _

“That being said, listen up for your teams. Team A will be: Sugawara, Asahi, Tanaka, Ennoshita, Tsukishima, Akari, and Y/N. Team B: Daichi, Nishinoya, Kinoshita, Narita, Kageyama, Hinata, and Yamaguchi.” 

Akari Ono; a true goddess first and foremost, but also an offensive powerhouse and keen analyst on the court. You haven’t played with her since last summer, but it won’t affect your connection; you learned the game together from your grandfather, after all. When you were children, she lived in the house right across the street from him, and y’all got on like a house on fire from diapers onward, even though you both are a year apart. You love your friends back home dearly, but you share a special bond with Akari that you hold very close to your heart, and it shows when you play together. 

She makes her entrance in that moment, and you are forced to remember how stunning she is, basked in the soft afternoon light filtering through the doorway. Her deep skin is glowing gold with it, accentuating every tight curl of hair that’s pulled atop her head by a neon green hair tie. It’s gotten longer since the last time you saw her in person, which you know she’s very happy about after she Facetimed you fresh out of the shower, pulling on a curl so far as to touch her shoulder.  _ Y/N-chan, look at that! Look! It’s thriving! Don’t let me talk shit about this too-expensive hair oil ever again- and I already did- fuck. Stop me, Y/N-chan! _

She’s wearing a similar get-up to you, but more colorful; a light blue nylon shirt with a pair of looser white shorts, with neon green accents that match her hair tie. This compared to your black t-shirt and spandex shorts makes you look basic, but you’ll be damned if you wear anything other than black while exercising in public - you sweat way too much for that shit. You probably could’ve gone with shorts closer in length to hers, though. Nike Pros are fine to wear out in the U.S., but you didn’t think of Japan’s... preference for modesty when getting dressed. You are very aware of the boys’ eyes trying  _ very hard _ not to look at your ass but seriously, they’re acting like you’re naked. Oh well, at least you’ve got a nice ass - but that’s beside the point. 

She immediately runs up to you,  _ still in her sock feet, Jesus Akari please don’t fall,  _ and promptly jumps into your arms, shrieking with laughter all the while. Her name means  _ brightness _ , and you are inclined to agree with that. 

“I missed you! Sorry I’ve been busy all week-” she starts, but you cut her off quickly. “I missed you, too, and don’t be sorry about being a good student.” She rolls her eyes at you but nods, and you take her shoulders and turn her back towards the wall. “Shoes on and stretch, we’ve got a game to play and you’re on  _ my _ team, so we’ve got some ass to kick.” 

The Karasuno boys, still huddled from their coach’s announcements, vary in response to the almost predatory expression that takes over your face. If your opponent’s think that this will be an easy win because they’re playing against two girls, then they best get that out of their heads right now. And if your impromptu team thinks of them as a disadvantage, that’ll only last for the first rally at most. You love nothing more than fucking with peoples’ expectations and assumptions; really, you’re in your element here. 

Keishin then lets Akari introduce herself to the team as well, and they are expectedly impressed when she tells them that she plays for UTokyo. As they should be; getting an offer from them is a big deal, and she worked her ass off to get it. You’re excited to see how she’s grown as a player in the year she’s had with their team. Once again, the team bows in thanks. You’re not sure if every visitor gets this experience or just attractive girls, but you find it hilarious either way. 

By the time Akari’s made her way to put her things down at the far wall, your teammates make theirs towards you. You’re pleased to notice that one of them is the silver-haired boy, who up close is far more attractive than he has any right to be. He’s got a beauty mark by the corner of his left eye, and damn if that isn’t making him more beautiful by the second. He notices your attention, then, and blinds you with a smile that should be  _ illegal _ . You shift your gaze elsewhere quickly, lest he see the literal hearts in your eyes. Now is not the time for gawking, you’ll have plenty of time for that later,  _ after _ you’ve won the game next to him- next to the team. Your team. You know, the other five people that you could be talking to right now? Yeah, them. Let’s talk to them instead. 

You scan the loose circle of players who are doing stationary stretches, and belatedly realize that you don’t know any of their names. Akari’s finally walking to join, so you ask, “Alright, can we knock out some introductions while we finish up? Uncle Keishin didn’t give me much before I got here.” You make sure to smile through your question, hoping that you’re coming off as confident instead of pushy, but you are saved from your worries as soon as the sterling boy opens his mouth. 

“Let’s start with name, year, and position. My name is Sugawara Koushi, third year, and I’m a setter.” His voice is lighter than you expected, but rasping around his words in a way that makes you feel safe, which is a really sappy thing to think, but definitely makes sense given his position. 

One by one, the rest introduce themselves. Asahi with his timidness you actually don’t think you can chalk up to your gender. Tanaka with his blushing overconfidence that you are 100% sure  _ is _ caused by your gender. Ennoshita with his gentle yet strong demeanor, and Tsukishima, the beanpole himself, with his unconcerned expression that he seems to apply to everything. They seem nice enough, but you won’t know a whole lot about them until you’re able to watch them play. That is, in your opinion, the best way to get to know someone - in a sense that often transcends pleasantries and required smalltalk. The only thing you’re sure of now is that having the beanpole as a middle blocker is an advantage based on his height alone, and that despite Asahi’s shyness he is built like a  _ grown man _ . You would bet good money that he can smack the cover off the ball if given the right toss. 

Akari makes herself known at your side as you glance at the other ‘team’ for a second before asking, “What should we know about them before we start?” 

Sugawara steps up next to you both, and it’s the perfect angle for you to notice the smooth slope of his nose and jawline.  _ No. Gawking later. _ “Kageyama - the tall angry one, black hair - and Hinata - the one buzzing around him - have this insane quick attack that only they can really do,” he states, turning towards you. You cross your arms just so that you have something to hold on to under the pressure of his gaze, collecting the nerve to pivot yourself to face him as well. He quirks his lips in a tight smile. “Kageyama’s pretty well-known for being a genius setter and he definitely lives up to it. Hinata’s a middle blocker- surprising for his height, I know- but he can  _ jump _ . And he’s quick on his feet, so watch him for fakeouts.” You nod along as he speaks, intent to minimize the time it takes for you to acclimate to these players. “Nishinoya, the libero, won the Best Libero Award in middle school. He’s good at what he does, if a little theatric.” He laughs lightly at his words, and it melts  _ something _ in your heart that you sincerely hope you didn’t need. 

“I’ll have to try my best to match him, then. Though, I won  _ my _ Best Libero Award for my state as a freshman, so he might be the one trying to keep up.” You smirk at him as his eyebrows shoot up and jaw drops down. You know it’s rude, but you can’t help the laughter that makes your shoulders shake and eyes squint closed. Akari howls, swinging an arm around your neck as she yells  _ Damn right! _ A few seconds go by before you pull yourselves together, and when you look at him again he’s at least closed his mouth. You smile wider at the color that now rests on his cheeks that you swear wasn’t there a minute ago. 

Keishin chose that moment to blow his whistle for everyone to take their places. 

❋❋❋

One instant the ball was leaving Kageyama’s hands, and the next the ball was hitting the floor three feet to your right. Then Hinata landed. 

_ Damn. Okay. _

You blink up at the net first, then to Sugawara, who gives you a slight nod in understanding. Or perhaps sympathy. You jerk your head to the only other person here who’s never seen whatever sorcery  _ that _ shit was before, and Akari’s just as stunned as you. Once your eyes connect, though, you both smile on just the right side of feral; good competition is hard to find, but it’s well worth the game once you do.

The next play starts, and you can tell that they’re gunning for another quick off the momentum of the first. You pay attention to Hinata’s feet, watching for the fakeouts Sugawara warned about, and- there. He’s sprinting across the court, but now so are you. You’re right where you need to be. 

Spikers are able to get a certain view of the court that no one else can, and only some are able to analyze what they’re seeing. Some call it the ‘view from the summit’, and it’s actually one of your favorite parts of being a wing spiker. Time seems to slow when you’re in the air, and you can see your target as if it were marked on the court itself. But what surprises most people you talk to is that that experience isn’t new for you. As a libero, you are constantly having to make minuscule adjustments to your receive, and you have less than a second to determine the best way to get the ball to the setter in just the right place. When a fast ball comes your way, time slows in much the same way it does when you’re about to hit the ball in mid-air. But instead of seeing where you need to hit the ball, you see the ball itself coming towards you, giving you enough time to analyze how it needs to be received and where to tilt your body to send it where you want. 

That ability is what makes you a good libero. You aren’t perfect, and neither are your receives 100% of the time, but you can promise one thing: you will never let the same ball get past you twice. 

One instant the ball is leaving Kageyama’s hands, and the next the ball rebounds off of your ready forearms, flying into the air and right to Sugawara. Then Asahi’s spike hits the other side of the court, proving to be every bit the ace he appears. 

The look on Hinata’s face, and on every spiker that has ever had their “untouchable” shot completely and utterly  _ shut down _ , is the best part of being a libero. 

The play now concluded, Nishinoya is the first to screech out, “Y/N-san! Wh- How did- W-What the hell was that?!” Something tells you that he didn’t articulate that quite how he wanted to, but you give him points anyway given that he did finally talk to you. That seemed to pull the rest of the time out of their mental renditions of similar questions, though, and then all of their eyes were on you. Akari is cackling to herself, eyes shining in anticipation. Uncle Keishin is looking to each side of the net, but his eye’s hold pride only slightly obscured by a wicked smile that you are also beginning to show. The same one your mother says you share with him, the one that you only do when you’re about to do something stupid. 

You shrug one shoulder, then call out in a deadpan tone, “A receive.” You see more than hear Tsukishima snort, and it makes you chuckle along with him. You feel yourself sliding your tongue along your top teeth in what has to look nothing less than wolfish. “Don’t worry though,” you continue, feeling the cockiness you only let get away from you on the court bubble over in your throat, “I’ll do it again for you.” 

The amount of satisfaction you receive from Nishinoya’s- no, his whole  _ team’s _ \- faces at your words is astronomical. And honestly, your own team is going through it, too. Asahi looks like a deer in headlights. Ennoshita seems to be wondering what the hell is happening, but okay with the direction you’re headed regardless. Tanaka looks terrifying in the best way possible. Beanpole is staring into the souls of his fellow first-years and appears to be invoking the fear of god in them. 

Akari just finished her giggle-fit and she looks ready to spike the  _ fuck _ out of the next ball available; after all, any challenge you initiate is as good as hers, and she is not going to let you down. She’s looking at Sugawara as if to express this, and he seems content to succumb to your cause. It isn’t as clear to see on him, but you can feel the  _ TRY ME, I FUCKING DARE YOU _ energy he’s radiating. And here you thought you couldn’t get any more attracted to him- irrelevant. That’s irrelevant. You’ve got bigger fish to fry. 

The atmosphere of the game had shifted, in just under a minute, from  _ practice match _ to  _ match to determine who is superior on threat of volleyball-related death _ . And yes, you might’ve made the declaration of war alone, but your team was quick to accept the challenge; this is a matter of pride. 

You may be completely off the mark, but something tells you that they need this- not just your ‘team’, but Karasuno as a whole. Keishin told you about their defeat at the beginning of the month in the Interhigh prelims, how he thinks it hurt them more than they were letting on. A crushing defeat like that can sometimes be enough to lose motivation, but it can also lead to its exponential growth. You can only see it clearly in a select few, but you are convinced that these boys will use their pain as a catalyst for growth. Only time will tell, however, if they use it to grow as individuals or to grow  _ together _ , as a team. 

Games like these, where the actual stakes are low but the bragging rights are too enticing to ignore, are where teamwork flourish. They need this, even more so than you do. Now is the time to focus solely on the ball and the game; they deserve nothing less. 

❋❋❋

The aftermath of the match leaves its participants strewn at haphazard intervals around the court. 

The victor of a practice match hardly matters in the grand scheme of things. Because no matter who wins, both sides get to build their connections to each other and strengthen their budding skills. That being said, your team takes the third set and victory has never tasted sweeter. 

Well, other than the weak but beatific grin Sugawara sends you when his head lolls in your direction, a bead of sweat falling to the ground off the top of his cheekbone. You have the asinine urge to wipe its trail away with your thumb. The smile you eventually return to him must look dopey as hell, but you’re beyond trying to regulate it at this point. That’s simply asking too much. 


	2. Chapter 2

It takes a whopping 48 hours for Keishin to request your and Akari’s return to a Karasuno practice. You’re pretty sure it only took that long because he was waiting for Akari to be over at the house to knock out two birds with one stone, but that’s okay. You’ll forgive him just this once for dallying. 

Besides, his offer makes it worth it. He explains that they normally did three on three practice matches once a week, but if you both could make practice once a week and make it a  _ real _ match, the team would benefit significantly more than they would otherwise. Akari says that she comes home on Fridays, so Keishin declares that Fridays will now start with a practice match. In exchange for your help, he’ll buy you both dinner after each practice. You’d be stupid to turn down free food, so you don’t, but you would’ve agreed regardless. 

That match on Friday was definitely something. And in its conclusion, when all of you were laying on the floor trying to catch your breath and mop your sweat, you laughed lighter than you had in what felt like years. Not doing what you love for extended periods of time really does take its toll on you. 

So yeah, you’re excited to do that again. You’re also excited to see a certain sterling boy again. But that’s neither here nor there. 

Once you make your ways out of the kitchen where the practice match deal was negotiated and into the guest bedroom where you’ve been staying, Akari plops down on your bed. She examines you for a moment before a glimmer of mirth flashes through her eyes. It intrigues as much as it worries you, but you move to sit across from her anyways.

“You know, to be the only player who  _ doesn’t _ depend on the setter, you sure were watching that kid closely.” She’s feigning disinterest, pretending to mess with her phone, but it has none of her attention. You know she’s probably just trying to give you privacy to let you say your piece with the assurance that no one will see your burning face. But Akari is poorly suited to situations that require emotional finesse, and you are rarely the type to be ashamed of your emotions anyway, so you’re grateful when she gives up the pretense of being occupied and turns a cheeky smile on you.

You roll your eyes despite yourself. “He’s sweet. And very cute.” Her eyes sparkle in response, excitement evident on every curve of her face.

“Y/N-chan, he was staring at you constantly! He definitely has a crush of you,” she winks at you, then, and you have the sudden urge to look anywhere but her. The smile that threatens to form on your lips is too personal for outsiders. “He didn’t initially look like your type, but as soon as you started trash-talking, I saw it. He’s not as goody-two shoes as he looks.” 

“He’s perfect,” you breathe, and you both promptly burst out laughing. 

Akari recovers first, though she’s still grinning. “Anyways, I was just curious about that. I do wanna talk about something, though.”

“Shoot.”

“What’s your stance on uni?”

Yikes. You wish she wanted to talk about something you actually knew answers to.

“I’m… working on it. I still haven’t heard back from my school about graduating early and I have to think if it’s worth it to start second semester if not.”

“I get it, I get it. But UTokyo could use a player like you; and for selfish reasons, I want you on my team,” she says. An affirmation rests on the tip of your tongue, but she quickly slips in before you get the chance to voice it. “And- I may have… mentioned you to my coach-”

“You did  _ what _ ?” 

“It wasn’t anything serious! We were just talking about unusual volleyball occurrences so obviously I brought you up but- But! She was interested!  _ And _ , she said that you were welcome to come watch one of our practices if you find yourself in Tokyo.” Her eyes are hopeful, but you’re too floored by this new information to respond in kind. 

“They’re got whole degrees that are taught in English, too,” she throws out, like you don’t already know. 

You decided a while ago that you wanted to pursue volleyball in college, and you might even want to play professionally one day. It’s daunting to know that your “serious” sports career begins with what university you get to play for. There are so many paths you can take, and any one could be the right or wrong one. That’s a lot to decide as a teenager. But ever since Akari signed on with UTokyo it’s become your mental forerunner, despite trying your best to give all prospective schools an equal opportunity. 

“You should tour- wait, come back to Tokyo with me today! I’ll give you a tour and you can come to practice with me tomorrow. My roommate won’t mind, she’s a sweetheart.” 

Sometimes you forget that Akari’s just as impulsive as you. That’s part of why you love her. 

“When are we leaving?” 

❋❋❋

**Mom**

How’s Tōhoku so far? (19:34)

**Me**

i actually wasnt in miyagi today😂 but good! same old same old for the most part (19:36)

**Mom**

Go see Akari? How’s she doing? (19:37)

**Me**

something like that, but shes doing good (19:39)

shes still coming home on the weekends and took me back to school with her lol (19:40)

she brought me with her to practice today tho :) (19:42)

**Mom**

Oh cool! How was it? (19:45)

Did you meet the coach? (19:45)

**Me**

insane! but yeah i did, and she invited me to a training camp!!!!! (19:47)

**Mom**

YAY! Get them connections boo! (19:48)

Gotta get ready for work, but I’ll call you tonight/your morning LOL (19:50)

**Me**

okay! love you (19:51)

**Mom**

Love you too😘 (19:51)

Putting your phone down, you immediately flop face first onto your bed. 

The campus was gorgeous. The area is perfect. Even Akari’s dorm wasn’t unbearably tight, even with a roommate (and she really was the sweetest). After about an hour of Akari showing you around to some of the academic buildings, libraries, and student centers, you felt a sense of belonging. You felt like you could call UTokyo home. And that was _before_ you met the women’s volleyball team. 

You’re not going to pretend that you weren’t intimidated by the prospect of meeting them, because that would be a bold-faced lie. You’re talking about a group of qualified players, some of whom have made their names known nationally by playing on this very team, meeting you - an international wanna-be praying to play beyond high school. If it weren’t for Akari dragging you by the arm into the (very nice and  _ very _ well-funded) gym, you’re not sure you would’ve gotten the nerve to enter it. 

From the minute you’d stepped inside, everything was a blur of motion and sound; volleyballs flying to and fro mixed with the excited chatter of girls who hadn’t practiced together in over a day and had plenty to catch up on. Lost in your daze, you didn’t hear Akari slip away to go change in the locker room, and by the time you did you were met by a woman who looked around her 40s, black hair pulled into a low bun at the base of her skull. She had striking features, sharp cheekbones and narrow chin, but her eyes were kind, and when a small smile graced her lips she looked maternal. 

“Hello there, are you the friend Akari’s always talking about?” She asked, voice strong yet jovial. “The libero-turned-wing spiker?” 

And that was when you realized you were talking to the coach. You know, the one who ultimately decides if you get an offer or not? Mhm. Yep. Her. 

“O-oh, hi! And, um, yes- I think so.” Admittedly not your best work, but that’s okay, you’ll work on it. 

After officially introducing yourselves, you got to talking about your background with Akari and with volleyball, which for you is a lot one and the same. But she shifted the conversation towards your high school career, and she at least appeared to be impressed by your game stats, both as a libero and wing spiker. She did eventually ask why you switched, and she nodded along in solemn understanding. “Such is the way with public schools, where necessity to have  _ enough _ players overrules the luxury of having a good player in each position.” 

You tried to smile at that, but you’re pretty sure it came off as a grimace, so you turned to watch the team start stretches. She considered you for a long moment before adding, “If you were given an offer here, what position would you want to play most?”

The question caught you off-guard in how bluntly it was asked. 

“Most?” She nodded. It felt like the type of question to have a right answer, but you didn’t have enough time to figure it out, so you just answered honestly. 

“Libero. That’s where I’m most comfortable,” you pushed out, and you remember it feeling like an admittance of guilt. Like an affront to your current position, in a way. 

“But, in my opinion, playing isn’t much fun when you’re comfortable all the time. I’ve been sure of nothing for a year now and it’s exhausting, don’t get me wrong, but it’s… exhilarating, I guess. So if you think that libero is where I can serve this team the best? Great. But if it isn’t, and you see me somewhere else, I accept the challenge. I’m- I trust your judgement, in a way that doesn’t sound like I’m trying to suck up or anything.” 

You realized a second too late that you were definitely rambling, but after a beat she gave you a tickled smile and a punch to the shoulder. “Once-  _ If _ -, you step onto this stage, you will face incredible competition; learning how to adapt and overcome it is just as important as being the best player you can be.” 

“There is a training camp coming up for prospective student athletes mid-July, here. I’d like you to come, if you’re able. Here’s my email,” she said, handing you a business card, “Email me when you get the chance and I’ll send you the invitation. The team will be running a lot of it, so Akari will be there, too.” She smiled carefree, as if she didn’t just give you a golden ticket to getting your foot in the door. 

After that exchange, she left to coach her team and you moved to sit and watch. And they certainly didn’t disappoint. 

So fast-forward six hours, and you’re now laying face down in bed, invitation already sitting in your inbox. You talked with Keishin about it, and apparently most schools are on break that week so the turnout should be impressive. He also mentioned that the teams’ teacher advisor (apparently they have one of those?) is trying to get them a slot at a training camp near Tokyo that week as well, and if that goes through then you can just drive up with them. This does not make you think about the possibility of sitting next to Sugawara for six hours. It doesn’t. 

Things went scarily well for you today, though it left you with a lot more to think about than you were honestly prepared to handle. Moments like these are when you would normally  _ move _ , go on a jog or do volleyball drills, but it's dark out and Keishin is already asleep. Instead, you settle for reaching for a volleyball near your bed and flopping on your back to toss to yourself until you’re tired. 

By the time you end up turning off the lights, it’s well past midnight. 

❋❋❋

You show up an hour earlier than last week. In your defense, Keishin didn’t give you an arrival time for today, specifically. 

But seriously, this week seemed to crawl by, and the sooner you can get on the court, the better. The gym is empty, but luckily it seems some of the boys practiced during lunch because the net is still set. There aren’t any ball carts out, but that’s fine - you brought two of your own, ones that are actually women’s volleyballs. With little fanfare, you position yourself at one end of the court and start practicing your serve. When you’ve sent both balls over the net, you switch sides and start again. 

You get lost in the motions, and you know that vaguely there was a school bell that went off somewhere, but your mind elected to ignore it without your conscious input. You serve another at full strength, one you’re sure could be a service ace, and immediately after it bounces off the floor (just barely within the bounds of the left-hand corner;  _ perfect _ ) you hear an impressed whistle and a low “ _ Damn _ ,” from the doorway and you know that voice; it’s been gracing your dreams for the last week. 

Unaware that you had an audience, your head whips around to see the third-year trio sporting comically different expressions. Sugawara seems to be at the center of them, eyes wide and eyebrows raised, staring at where the ball landed. Daichi looks ecstatic, eyes on Sugawara’s face and trying his hardest not to laugh for all of three seconds before giving up entirely, cackling at his expense. Asahi just keeps glancing between you and the pair of idiots next to him, perfectly imitating a computer error message in human form. 

“...Hey,” you eventually croak out, though you’re left awkwardly laughing out of not knowing what else to do. Daichi recovers, patting Sugawara on the back and receiving one hell of a glare in return before he turns to you and says, “Hey. Sorry for sneaking up on you.” He actually does look apologetic, so you wave him off. He smiles and adds, “You’ve got an impressive serve. How long have you been working on that?”

You turn to collect your volleyballs off the floor as you grin at the praise. They’ve moved out of the doorway by now to put away their things, so you answer once you get back to your bag next to them. “Thank you, Daichi-san. And I’ve only been able to serve for a season, so a little less than a year?” 

He hums, and together you all move to start getting out the equipment. You end up helping Daichi make sure the net is secure while the other two grab the ball carts. Maybe you just like showing off, but you can’t help but bring up to him, “Though, if you’re talking about that serve in particular, just today.” Puzzlement takes over his face, and then you clarify, “Mens’ volleyball nets are set ten centimeters taller than womens’. My legs are  _ killing _ me.” 

Every sports player can tell you that even the smallest change from what you’re used to, even (and  _ especially _ ) if it’s in your head, can and probably will throw you off. You’re not sure why you’re divulging that to him, but you’re glad that he seems more impressed than put off by your hubris. With any luck he’ll share this tidbit with Sugawara later, they seem to be close even outside of the team. 

It seems you’re not the only one thinking of Sugawara though, because a second later his face brightens when he asks, “Would you want to get some spiking in after our practice ends? With the net difference and all, I’m sure it’d be good conditioning. I can ask Suga to toss for you, I’m positive he won’t mind.” He’s got a shit-eating grin on his face, like he knows something you don’t but wishes you did. His proposal brings a flush to your cheeks, but he  _ does _ bring up a good point; you legs will probably hate you for it in the morning, but you’d be interested to see how ten centimeters affects your attack. 

You give him a small smile. “Only if he isn’t too worn-out. I wouldn’t want him slacking in practice tomorrow because of me.” Sugawara’s ears must be burning, because he turns from his place across the gym to peer at you both, and before he has the chance to glance away Daichi waves him over. He looks hesitant, but complies all the same. 

“What’s up?” He asks once he’s standing in front of you both. 

“Daichi offered in your stead for you to toss to me after practice today so that I can get some attack training in.” He immediately flashes wide eyes to Daichi that hold a message you can’t decipher. You hope he isn’t mad at him, or you. 

“I figured you wouldn’t mind,” Daichi says, ignoring Sugawara’s expression completely. “Do you think you can spare some time after practice?” 

“Not for too long, I promise! Just like, thirty minutes at most,” you chime in. His gaze softens when it turns to you, and sudden color rises to the tops of his cheeks- wait. Huh. Maybe Akari was right. This situation is now a lot funnier than it was previously. 

You give Daichi props; he is a good friend, and an even better wingman. 

“Yeah- Yeah, I don’t mind. I mean- I’d be happy to. It’s always fun to toss to new people.” You can tell Sugawara is trying his best, and it brings a wide smile to your face. 

“Thanks Sugawara-san! I really appreciate it.” Just then, Akari walks through the door and the first thing she does,  _ again before shoes, queen please _ , is hone in on you and envelope you in a hug with her chest to your back, arms around your neck. “Hey Y/N-chan!~ How’s my favorite  _ invitee _ doing?” 

She’d been so happy when you told her that you’d be attending the training camp, and she’s made a point to keep mentioning all the best things about UTokyo in rogue texts all week long. You’d be lying if her enthusiasm hasn’t rubbed off on you a little bit. 

“Invitee?” Daichi asks, and you suddenly remember your company. You open your mouth to say  _ Nothing important, don’t worry about it _ , but Akari is quicker to say the exact opposite. “My coach  _ personally  _ invited her to attend a prospective student-athlete training camp UTokyo is hosting during your summer break,” she says proudly, before turning her head to face yours despite the already close proximity. “You’ll be on my team before you know it!” She smacks a loud kiss on your cheek before turning you free from her arm prison to put on her shoes. You roll your eyes, calling out, “We’ll see about that,” before turning back to Daichi and Sugawara. “Can you tell she’s excited?” 

Even as you all are chuckling at her antics, more of the team is filtering into the gym so the captain and co-captain move to start warm-ups. Shortly after, Keishin arrives and practice begins. 

He changes the teams from last week, and you can’t help but be a tad worried for yours; it’s the team’s starting line-up against everyone else. On the bright side, you’re still on Sugawara’s team (the fact that he isn’t a starter is intriguing) but it seems you’ve lost Asahi, Tanaka, and Beanpole, which will hurt your defensive strength. That’s your specialty though, and now more than ever your team needs to be able to depend on you to keep this ship afloat. They need to be able to focus on counterattacks, because Keishin really fucked y’all over on making this an even match. But that’s okay, you’ll figure out the holes in their defense and capitalize on them. As long as the ball stays in the air, you can’t lose. 

Akari pops up next to you as you’re deep in a lunge, and falls into the same position. “Our defense is our only saving grace in this match. Think you can handle it?” She’s egging you on on purpose, you know, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t effective. You flip her the bird as you push yourself up, and she extends her hand towards you even still, knowing you’ll help her up. Her hand still clasped in yours, you murmur, “Yeah. But based on what I saw of Kinoshita and Narita’s blocking last week, it looks like you’re in charge there. Ennoshita is an asset but his offensive won’t be enough without distraction. And Yamaguchi is an oddball; he didn’t do much of anything last time.” 

“I wouldn’t say that,” she says, and you tilt your head for her to continue. “I saw their manager’s notes on that Yamaguchi, turns out he’s a jump float pinch server.” Oh, you suppose that makes sense. You hum contemplatively but wonder aloud, “All his serves last game were standard, why didn’t he use it?” She’s watching him now, and starts walking in his direction as she says, “Dunno. I’ll find out.”

He doesn’t notice her arrival until he’s practically been cornered, and you spare a thought to feel bad for him; you’ve been on the receiving end of Akari’s curiosities for years, but you can understand how intimidating she can be to new people. Poor bastard. But you also know that Akari is a psychology major, and uses it to bring out what she wishes of her teammates. He’ll use that jump float this game, you’re sure of it. Even if it only scores a few points, it’ll help. 

This, at least, is familiar; having a not-so-great high school team means that you’re normally on the defensive. Again - as long as the ball stays up, you can’t lose. This will be a game of endurance. 

One set lost, and you triple that sentiment. 

It could’ve been worse, honestly: 19-25. Six of those points are accredited to Yamaguchi, and you can tell that it boosted his self-esteem. You’re grateful for that, because when he’s in you’re off the court, and those breaks are worth their weight in gold. Men are lucky they don’t have tits; diving is a  _ pain _ . You’re currently sucking down water in the interim before the next set when an idea hits you. 

Last summer, when you and Akari were playing with Keishin’s neighborhood team, they introduced you to the idea of a libero setting. You and Akari toyed with the attack for a week straight, with Keishin helping you learn better angles to toss from and how to read the spiker. If Ennoshita receives the ball first, you could throw them off by setting for Akari. Certainly you can do it now, even if it’s been awhile. It’s worth a shot, anyways. 

You saw Nishinoya toying with setting from the back last time you were here, and it wasn’t exactly going his way. You’re not trying to pick on him or anything, but it  _ would _ be funny to see his reaction if you get it right. And you’d be willing to help him with it sometime, too, if he wants the guidance. You’d really be doing him a favor by giving him experience with talking to girls, because once he figures it out he’ll be unstoppable. 

“Sugawara-san, Ennoshita-san, Akari, come hither,” you call, and they circle up around you so that you can give them the plan. 

That attack goes off without a hitch, much to Nishinoya’s admiration, but it still isn’t enough to win the second set. You got closer though, 21-25, and you’ll accept the progress. After Keishin briefs the team on what he saw and what they need to work on, you and Akari decide to find a place just outside the gym to toss to each other. You’re both removing your pads and getting some water when you remember what Daichi so kindly helped set up for you with a jolt.

“Wrong pipe?” She moved to pat your back, too, but you wave her off with a head shake. “So Daichi practically threatened Sugawara into tossing for me today after practice,” you voice lowly. 

“I’m sorry- what?  _ Threatened _ ?” She asks, though there’s more amusement there than genuine concern. She’s spinning one of your volleyballs between her palms. “Well, not threatened. But definitely without his prior knowledge,” you giggle. She throws the ball up to you, which you receive instinctively. 

You can focus on the back and forth of the ball for now; that’s easier than fixating on everything that could happen in thirty minutes with Sugawara. You really need to get a grip. 

You’re not sure why you’re nervous; at the end of the day, all he’s really doing is tossing for you. But there are several factors that are unknown: whether you’ll be left alone and how that will be perceived by others, how long you’ll both stay, how much you’ll get to talk to him, how long it’ll take you to acclimate to his tosses. You wish you didn’t care what he thought of you but you  _ do _ , and you don’t want to make a fool of yourself, while spiking or in conversation. God forbid he realize you're a mess masquerading as someone who has their shit together before you even get his number. 

Akari, the goddess herself, watches you fall deeper into your head by the minute and snatches the ball out of the air on the next pass. “You know you’re only here for, what? Two months, right?” 

“‘Till August 15th,” you affirm, shifting your stance to stand fully upright. 

“Then don’t stress so much about a boy you might never see again- actually, don’t stress so much about a boy, period.” She says it like it’s the simplest thing in the world. “I mean- shit. You just met him like two weeks ago, which is plenty of time to tell that you’re into each other, but you don’t really know each other at all.” 

“But that’s what hanging out and  _ spiking practices _ and cute dates are all about! Nobody said you’re looking for your soulmate. So just enjoy getting to know him and have fun, is all I’m saying.” She almost looks sheepish for spilling all that, but you really needed to hear it. There’s still anxiety holding your lungs tight in its grasp, but it’s lessened to a dull hum of what it was because you realize that you were jumping the gun a bit. It’s been awhile since you’ve had a crush (which is kind of sad to admit) and you’ve forgotten how innocent they are. You like how he looks and how funny he is, and... that’s pretty much all you’ve got so far. 

It’s freeing, in a way, finding that you were more worried about the expectations Sugawara would have of you rather than the other way around. You don’t think that he should act any different than he normally would just because you might have a guileless crush. You want to know  _ him _ , to learn his quirks and habits, how he talks and how he thinks about the world. If he feels the same, then great. If not, then you could gain a good friend. You’d never wish to be rude, but it’s like Akari said:  _ don’t stress so much about a boy, period. _ It’s good advice. 

❋❋❋

It’s easier, after that, to interact with Sugawara. You still let your eyes cling to him in the same way his shirt does to his chest and stomach with sweat, but you don’t get as flustered by realizing your attention because enjoying the view is secondary to enjoying his banter. He’s witty, even sassy at times, adding to the dialogue of the room with wide smiles and teasing tones. Daichi and Akari decided to stick around and practice with you both, and you all get on better than you would’ve expected. 

At first, Suga sends varying tosses for you to see what suits you best and the other two would receive them and pass the ball back. This lasts only until you become familiar with how he sets, and then you  _ actually _ start to practice. 

You are not an ace, so you don’t often get past blockers using brute force. You’ve trained to control the ball's trajectory from the split-second you have in the air, and Sugawara’s tosses are neutral enough to allow you to go crazy with that. He isn’t a genius by any means, but he clearly has experience and steadiness that comes with it. It’s like a blank canvas for you, and for the sake of the metaphor, you start slapping contrasting colors on it left, right, and center. 

You switch between cross shots and straight shots only to make Akari and Daichi have to work for a good receive, earning indignant shouts and grunts for your efforts. You change your position on the court with every play, which keeps Suga on his toes the entire time. You constantly alter your timing, hitting a few quicks that even Suga doesn’t know how you hit them or when you got so close to the ball so fast. 

None of you had a set goal for this session, so you throw in a little of everything just because you want to show what you’re capable of. It seems the sentiment is mutual, at least for Akari, because she quickly starts improvising with her teammate. She starts actively trying to block your spikes instead of receiving them, and tosses for Daichi without warning to put you and Sugawara on the defensive. It doesn’t exactly devolve into a two vs. two match, because no one is interested in keeping track of scores, but every play brings new expletives and laughter, every new skill revealed upping the ante enough to encourage the others to reach further. 

Despite the growing competitiveness, your spirits rise in tandem. And in turn, so does your volume. Every ball that slips past Akari and Daichi’s defenses draws excited cheers from you, making you jump and dance in celebration, and every blocked ball or ineffective dive elicits increasingly creative insults and promises for redemption. You are very aware that the boys are laughing at you, but you can feel them latch onto your energy and see the way their eyes shine with it. 

It’s the most fun you’ve had in a long time. Normally people aren’t your strong suit, but these two are easy to get along with, even though you’re newly acquainted. It’s refreshing to connect so well with them and fascinating to watch it translate onto the court. Your teamwork with Suga only gets better as time goes on, the small smiles of appreciation for a good pass or toss morphing into high-tens and coordinated quips at the other two. 

The allotted thirty minutes turns into an hour before any of you realize it. It’s the weekend, so no one is in a huge rush to get home, but you all hurry through clean-up anyway because you are so hungry you could eat your own Croc right here, right now, and you tell them as much. Despite this, you and Akari still wait patiently for the boys to change so that you can walk home together and stop by Sakanoshita Store for meat buns. Once Daichi locks the clubroom door, you’re off with a slight spring in your step. Practice tends to do that to you. 

The night air is comfortably cool against the sweat drying on your skin. Conversation flows amicably between you four. And when finally attained, the meat buns are heavenly - though you blame that on hunger, because convenience store meat buns cannot possibly taste this good on their own. 

The boys bid their goodbyes with wide smiles, and you can’t help but return one of your own. Suga waves grandly with one hand raised high above his head, and for an instant his hazel eyes lock with yours. It brings you pause, breath leaving you as your lungs flood with sticky sweet honey and it burns through your chest like ginger tea. 

You watch him go, continuing his stroll with Daichi at his side. You watch him until he’s out of sight, rounding a corner a few streets down, before leaving the storefront in the opposite direction. 

Akari doesn’t comment on this, or the violent blush that has taken residence upon your face. Well, at least until you get home;  _ then _ she lets you have it, cackling all the while as your cheeks only brighten. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ahhh i'm sorry this took so long to get out, but it's longer so i'm happy about that :)
> 
> let me know what you think in the comments! i'm thinking next chapter could be from suga's perspective, and (hopefully) it'll be out quicker than this one lmao
> 
> see you soon!~

**Author's Note:**

> if you got this far, thank you! feedback is greatly appreciated! :)
> 
> tags will be added as they come up, but this story won't get all that angsty; with everything going on in the world rn, i really just wanna write something that makes me feel happy and hopefully makes you all feel happy too :)
> 
> that being said, here's a link to where you can learn more about the BLM movement, where to donate if you can, petitions, and more:
> 
> blacklivesmatters.carrd.co
> 
> in addition, i also encourage you all (if you haven't already) to watch "13TH" on Netflix, who has also posted the documentary on their YouTube page if you don't have a Netflix account
> 
> see you soon, lovelies!


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